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Antimicrobial resistance

Consequences of antimicrobial resistance

Many infections are becoming more difficult to treat due to antimicrobial resistance- this is a global health crisis!

In 2016, approximately 700,000 people died due to antimicrobial resistance. If nothing changes, by 2050 antimicrobial resistance will result in 10 million deaths per year. This represents one death every three seconds due to antimicrobial resistance by 2050.

There are specific microbes that are of particular concern. These microbes are extremely difficult to kill because they are resistant to multiple antimicrobial medicines (often because of multiple resistance mechanisms). Some examples of these microbes are given below.

Petri dish growing Candida auris

Candida auris

Type of microorganism

Fungus

Type of infection caused

Ear, bloodstream, brain and heart.

Danger to humans

1 in 3 people with a Candida auris infection die.

Global distribution

Europe, North America, South America, Asia.

Resistance status

Resistant to fluconazole and amphotericin B. Varying resistance levels to other azole antifungals have been reported.

Staphylococcus aureus shown under scanning electron micrograph

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Type of microorganism

Bacteria

Type of infection caused

Skin, wound, pneumonia and bloodstream.

Danger to humans

20-50% of patients with a MRSA infection die.

Global distribution

Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa.

Resistance status

Resistant to methicillin. Cephalosporin resistance has also been reported.